Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has weathered a political storm in parliament, surviving a no-confidence vote called by opposition parties furious over his government's handling of deadly flooding that claimed 17 lives.
The conservative leader faced intense scrutiny after Storm Daniel battered central Greece earlier this month, with critics accusing the government of inadequate preparation and slow emergency response in the Thessaly region.
Parliamentary Showdown
In a dramatic parliamentary session that stretched into the early hours, lawmakers voted 158-142 in favour of the government, with the Prime Minister delivering a robust defence of his administration's actions during the crisis.
'We did everything humanly possible,' Mitsotakis declared during the heated debate, acknowledging the tragedy while defending the state's response efforts.
Opposition Fury
The vote was triggered by the left-wing Syriza party, whose leader Stefanos Kasselakis condemned what he called the government's 'criminal inactivity' during the disaster.
Alexis Haritsis, spokesperson for the Pasok party, echoed these sentiments, stating: 'The government was absent when our fellow citizens needed it.'
Aftermath of Destruction
The storm's devastation has left deep scars across central Greece, with:
- Widespread flooding destroying farmland and infrastructure
- Thousands of homes and businesses damaged or destroyed
- Critical questions raised about Greece's disaster preparedness systems
- Growing concerns about climate change's impact on Mediterranean nations
As Greece begins the long process of recovery and rebuilding, the political ramifications of this natural disaster are likely to reverberate long after the floodwaters have receded.
